Canada’s corporate environment is no longer the polite, “don’t rock the boat” place it used to be: shareholder activism is now firmly entrenched in the Canadian corporate landscape. Companies of all sizes and in all industries are now the target of shareholder activism, in part due to a regulatory landscape that could be viewed as more shareholder friendly than some other jurisdictions.
And activists have had success. Over the past decade, activists have been able to claim a partial or even outright victory in a majority of formal proxy contests.
In today’s environment, all public companies should take steps to decrease the odds of being targeted by an activist and be prepared to respond if that should happen.
Our Directors’ Handbook, and Fasken Martineau’s team of legal experts, are here to help.
